Who is Ramil Madriaga?

Ramil Madriaga, who identified himself as a former aide and alleged bagman of Vice President Sara Duterte, arrived at the House of Representatives on Tuesday to testify in her impeachment proceedings. Who is Madriaga and what is his alleged connection with Duterte?

Madriaga’s affidavit, which he submitted to the Ombudsman last December 2025, became part of the evidence against Duterte in the two impeachment complaints this 2026 that were found to be “sufficient in substance” by the House Committee on Justice, GMA News Feed reported.

Prior to his arrival at the House of Representatives, Madriaga was detained at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City since 2023 after being involved in a kidnapping case.

According to his notarized statement in 2025, Madriaga introduced himself as a law graduate from San Sebastian College in Manila.

He also worked at various government agencies from 1993 up to 2021, until he was introduced by then-Representative Roilo Golez to the Duterte family to give political and security advice to then-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

After the Duterte patriarch became President, Madriaga was tasked to provide intelligence information for “Oplan Double Barrel.”

In 2018, Madriaga was assigned to the Presidential Security Group and was introduced to Sara Duterte, who was then Davao City Mayor.

He was also tasked with intelligence gathering for Sara Duterte.

Madriaga also allegedly formed the “Inday Sara Duterte is my President (ISIP) Pilipinas” to support her plans to run as President, a move instructed by Sara herself.

“The funding for the ISIP Pilipinas national campaign (2021-2022) along with another parallel groups, came from POGO operators and drug dealers,” Madriaga’s affidavit read.

Madriaga also allegedly witnessed the delivery of P1 billion in Muntinlupa City.

“Around the first quarter of February 2020, I was instructed by MSgt. Canlas, a PSG officer whom I came to know in Davao, to pick up a Super Grandia at Jollibee Kamuning, Quezon City, and deliver it to a car wash along Daang Hari, Muntinlupa City. From the meeting point, I was told to proceed to Katarungan Village nearby, where I handed the keys to two men who were inside a black Honda Civic. This delivery was later verified through a call from President Duterte himself, who confirmed that the vehicle was received by those two men whose names I can no longer recall,” his affidavit read.

Madriaga also served as Sara Duterte’s courier of millions of cash to different personalities.

In his notarized affidavit, Madriaga also claimed he was ordered by Colonel Dennis Nolasco and Colonel Raymond Lachica from the OVP to deliver four duffel bags containing up to P35 million each to different individuals.

“Hindi niya ma-describe 'yung hitsura pero sabi niya, isang duffel bag na puwede kang magpasok ng tao sa laki, na sabi niya, 'pag punong-puno daw 'yun, kayang maglaman ng mga P35 milyon 'yun. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit alam mo 'yung laman?’ E Attorney, sanay na ako mag-deliver ng pera, e. Binubuksan ko minsan 'yan, kaya tantyado ko na 'yung laman n'yan,” Atty. Raymund Palad, Madriaga’s lawyer, said.

In a statement, Vice President Duterte denied that Madriaga worked in her offices.

“[We have] a certification from the ASPG, formerly the VPSPG. We have a certification from the Department of Education. And we also have a certification from the Davao City local government stating, attesting that there has never been any Ramil Madriaga that was employed or otherwise connected with those offices,” said Atty. Salvador Paolo Panelo, Jr. Legal Counsel ni VP Duterte.

In another statement, the Vice President said that Madriaga has to stand up for his claims.

“Hindi maaaring hayaang gamitin ang mga imbentong kuwento upang linlangin ang publiko,” Duterte said.

(Made-up stories cannot be allowed to be used to deceive the public.)

Despite this, Madriaga's lawyer said his client maintains that the contents of his affidavit are truthful.

Madriaga has received threats despite being in prison.

Madriaga's camp is studying the possibility of applying for the Witness Protection Program. — RSJ, GMA News